If you have worked in the semiconductor industry for more than a few years I am sure you have heard senior leadership speak about the need for your integrated circuit designs to be first pass successes and not the typical two to three spins or more to reach the targeted performance. The question is this: Is first pass success feasible and should be expected? I do not want to stir up a hornets nest with my response but the answer to the question is that it depends. Depends on what you say? Well, the answer depends on several different interwoven complexities that can determine if first pass success is possible. I would like to explore some possible ways to answer this question. Furthermore, the complexity of this question increases when developing complex mixed signal ICís.

Fortunately for circuit designers, a new tool is available that can simplify the process of identifying the ESD suppression device best suited to an application, which makes it far easier to incorporate circuit protection earlier in the board planning process. The Littelfuse iDesignô Online Simulation and Product Selection Tool

. I received a very good reader question from my last blog post regarding the various parameters that are reported by the tool. Letís take a look at an example and explore the parameters that are returned. In this example we will look at the AD9643-250.

Managing system thermal performance is critical in todayís electronic systems if you are to maximize performance and the user experience. As systems grow more powerful, and in many cases smaller in size, managing the thermal profile has become an ever-increasing challenge. Monitoring the current provides a leading indicator to potential thermal issues.